Lock for fluorescent lamps



June 4, 1946. I H. s. BIXBY 2,401,408

LOOK FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS Filed May 5, 1944 v Patented June 4, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims. 1

Devices for this same purpose have been previously patented by me in United States Patents Nos. 2,336,587 and 2,336,588, and the present device is adapted for universal use in that it may be employed with sockets of various types.

rescent lamps are usually of cylindrical or tubular shape and are provided upon their end faces with extending prong-like contact members adapted to be received in end sockets or fixtures 10 As shown in my prior patents referred to, fluo- E disposed adjacent each end face of the lamp,

these contact members serving both to make electrical contact with elements in the socket and to sustain the lamp in position.

These contact members are normally slipped into slots opening through one edge of the socket members, and then moved either laterally or rotatably to a position in which they are retained in th sockets, usually by the spring contacts with which they engage. that due to vibration and other causes it often occurs that the lamps will be caused to move in their sockets and be released therefrom, usually to drop on the floor and break. The present invention provides means for locking th lamps;-

against movement after they have been properly placed in their sockets, so that there will be no danger of their being accidentally released. At the same time, however, lamps may be removed from the sockets when desired by releasing the.

securing or locking means.

While the present invention is shown in connection with a socket similar to that shown in my prior Patent No. 2,336,587, wherein the prongs of the lamp are inserted into a vertical slot in the socket and thereafter rotated to final position, it will be understood that the same device may also be employed in connection with lamp sockets wherein the prongs are introduced into two vertically extending slots and thereafter moved laterally to their final position. Thus the present device may be employed in any case where tubular lamps having end contact prongs are employed.

One object of the present invention is to provide improved locking means for tubular 01' fluorescent lamps so that the lamp will be prevented from becoming accidentally disengaged from the socket.

A further object of the invention is to provide It has been found, however,,

locking means of universal character for fluorescent lamps, so that the same locking means may be employed regardless of the type of socket with which the lamp is used.

Still another object of the invention is to provide locking means for securing fluorescent lamps in their sockets, which locking means shall be of simple and inexpensive construction, and be capable of being applied to the socket and removed therefrom easily and conveniently.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the lamp socket at one end of a lamp, having thereon a locking device embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the locking device, certain parts being broken away;

Fig, 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of one of the locking devices, showing the device as it appears when being installed; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 5, showing the device after it has reached its final position.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have indicated a portion of a fluorescent lamp ID having projecting end contact members ll adapted to be engaged in an end socket 12. As shown, this socket is provided with a ver tical slot 13 which communicates with a circular slot or recess l4, and it will be understood that, as is the usual practice, the contact members H upon the end face of the lamp ID are inserted into the slot l3, and thereafter rotated in the recess l4 until they assume the position shown in Fig. 2. In this position they are aligned horizontally and are also symmetrical with respect to the side edges of the socket l2; that is, each pin I I is positioned at the same distance from the edg of the socket. As this is also true of the type of socket shown in my Patent No. 2,336,588, when the pins I i are in their final positions, it will be understood that the locking device may also be used with sockets of that type, as it is not applied until the lamp is in place.

The locking device comprises a hollow tubular member l5 having open ends. As shown, the member is of rectangular shape in cross section, and is of such dimensions to fit snugly the socket 12, which in this case is also of rectangular shape in cross section. It will be understood that the shape of the member l5 will be adapted to that 3 of the socket device with which it is adapted to be used.

The member i5 is provided in each face thereof with slots l6 extendin downwardly from the upper end thereof, these slots being of slightly less width than the diameter of the pins II, and being provided at their lower ends with enlarged circular portions I! of substantially the same diameter as the pins so as closely to embrace the latter. These slots IE will be spaced according to the spacing of the pins H, and will be at the proper distance from the side edges of the tubular body member to receive the pin il when the device is slipped upon the socket l2.

Although the locking device will be made of such dimensions that its walls wil1 frictionally engage the outer walls of the socket I 2, additional means may be provided to prevent its detach ment from the socket, such means comprising inwardly displaced portions l8 at the side edges of the body l5. These portions are merely bowed inwardly from the end walls of the device, and will engage the end walls of the socket frietionally to hold the locking device thereon.

The locking member l5 will preferably be made of fiber or some suitable insulating material. This material possesses a certain amount of resilience, and it will be found that the locking members may be readily slipped upon the sock-,

ets and remain in place due to the frictional engagement of the members l8 with the socket, and also due to the engagement of the pins in the enlarged portions ll of the slots l6.

It will be recalled that the width of the slots I6 is slightly less than the diameter of the pins II, and in order that the pins may readily enter the slots, the latter may be slightly flared at their upper ends, as shown at l9. After the lamp has been placed in final position in the socket, the locking device 15 is slipped upwardly upon the socket, the pins entering the slots 15. As these pin are slightly larger than the slots, the edges of the slots will be sprung outwardly to a slight extent to receive the pins, as shown at 20 in Fig. 5. When, however, the device has been telescoped upon the socket l2 to its final position, the pin will enter the enlarged recess I! at the bottom of the slot, and the side edge of the slot will then assume their normal flat positions in the plane of the side walls of the locking member. Thus the member l5 will also be held in place by reason of the fact that the side edges of the slots will resume their normal positions and will overlie to some extent the upper surface of the pins, so that it will require exertion of positive force upon the locking member to move it downwardly and thus cause the pins to enter the narrow slots [6. However, when it is desired to remove the lamp from the socket, the locking device may by a positive pull be drawn downwardly from looking position and be removed entirely from the socket l2, at which time the lamp may be removed in the usual manner.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

WhatIclaimis:

1. A device for securing to its socket a lamp having contact pins projecting from the end face thereof, said device comprising a member having a wall adapted to lie between the socket and the end face of the lamp, said wall being provided with slots closed at their lower ends but opening through the upper edge of the wall, said slots being adapted to receive the contact pins therein, and means for securing said member to the socket.

2. A device for securing to its socket a lamp having contact pins projecting from the end face thereof, said device Comprising a member having a wall adapted to lie between the socket and the end face of the lamp, said wall bein provided with slots closed at their lower ends but opening through the upper edge of the Wall, said slots being adapted to receive the contact pins therein, the width of said slots being less than that of the pins, and said slots being enlarged at their lower ends, and means on said member adapted to .trictionally engage the socket.

3. A device for securing to its socket a lamp having contact pins projecting from the end lace thereof, said device comprising a member having a wall adapted to lie between the socket and the end face of the lamp, said wall being provided with slots closed at their lower ends but opening through the upper edge of the wall, and said slots being adapted to receive the contact pins therein, and means frictionally securing said member to the socket.

'1. A device for securing to its socket a lamp having contact pins projecting from the end face thereof, said device comprising a member having a flat portion insertable between the end face of the lamp and the socket after the lamp has been seated in the socket, and. portion liar-- ing pin-receiving slots therein opening through an edge thereof whereby the pins may be received in the slots, and means for scouring said member in place.

5. A device for securing to its socket a lamp having contact pins projecting from the end face thereof, said device comprising a hollow open ended member adapted to embrace a socl' et. it?! said member having pin receiviug slots in one face thereof, said slots opening through an edge of said member.

6. A device for securing to its socket a lamp having contact pins projecting from the end face thereof, said device comprising a hollow, openended member adapted to embrace a socket. and said member having pin -receiving slots in one face thereof, said slots opening through an edge of said member, and means for securing said member to the socket.

7. A device for securing to its socket a 11mm having contact pins projecting from the end face thereof, said device comprising hollow opcnended member adapted to {nationally embrace a socket, and said member having pin-receiving slots in one face thereof, said slots opening through an edge of said member.

8. A device for securing to its socket a lamp having contact pins projecti g from the end face thereof, said device comprising hollow onenencled member adapted to snr-igly embrace a socket, and said member having pln-i'eceiving slots in one face thereof, said slots opening through an edge of said member, and portions or the opposite walls of said member being displaced inwardly to frictionally engage the socket.

, 9. A device for securing to its socket a lamp having contact pins projecting from the end. lace thereof, said device comprising a hollow openended member adapted to snugly embrace a socket, and said member having pin-receiving slots in one face thereof, said slots-opening through an edge of said member, and said slots being of less width than that of the pins and being enlarged at their lower ends.

10. A device for securing to its socket a lamp having contact pins projecting from the end face thereof, said device comprising a hollow openended member adapted to snugly embrace a socket, and said member having pin-receiving slots in one face thereof, said slots opening throughan edge of said member, and said slots being of less width than that of the pins and being enlarged at their lower ends and flared at their upper ends, and portions of two opposing walls of said member being displaced inwardly to provide socket-engaging members.

HAROLD S. BIXBY. 

